APPT Seoul: Korean duality

There's a limited amount of floor space to work with in the Paradise Walkerhill Casino for the 2012 APPT Seoul Main Event. That's both a bad thing and a good thing.

It's a bad thing because limited amount of floor space means that the tournament staff have to cap the entries at a rather modest 250 players and Day 1 has to be split across two flights. The staff managed to squeeze 129 players into the field yesterday, so we're hopeful that nobody will have to be turned away today. It would be a shame if a player that wants to play is denied a seat purely due to lack of space.

It's a good thing because a small field and small Day 1 flights makes for a quick work day and plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the Korean nightlife. APPT President Danny McDonagh doesn't screw around with that, as he likes to get out and have a good time just as much as the players do. Yesterday we played eight one-hour levels without a dinner break, wrapping things up just in front of 9pm local time. With no need to be back in the tournament room for Day 1b until 11am, there was time to for everyone to get out and about.

I don't recall seeing Day 1a overnight chip leader Christopher Park at the APPT Seoul welcome party last night (a tale that requires its own post later today). He might have been there, but it was dark, and crowded, and there was some drinking and break-dancing going on. Really. Break-dancing.

All smiles, no break-dancing for Park

And so as my blogging partner Heath Chick nurses a hungover from too many vodka-and-cokes and dreams of a hearty surf-and-turf meal, I'll bring you all gently into Day 1b. The plan today, of course, is the same as yesterday. We'll play eight one-hour levels without a dinner break, finishing things up just before 9pm.

After that, the boys at the blogging desk will head out into the night in search of Seoul's finest Korean BBQ. That's both a bad thing and a good thing. It's a bad thing because none of us speak or read Korean, and we're as likely to cause an international incident with the North as we are to find Seoul's finest Korean BBQ.

It's a good thing because hey - we're spending the night out on the town in Seoul, Korea.